We photograph children in our camera room without Mom and Dad.  Just like the dentist, children do best when they're not competing for someone else's attention.  Bare feet are much cuter than shoes so please leave the shoes behind.  Appointments for babies need to be made after they've had a nap and been fed.  We can't make sick babies look good if they don't feel good and will gladly reschedule your appointment if your baby wakes up not feeling well.
Most children photograph best during morning hours.  If they're attending pre-school or kindergarten, we suggest letting them skip a day instead of bringing them after school when they're usually tired, hungry, or had a bad day.